Sean Penn Wins Oscar #3 — Skips the Show for Ukraine

Sean Penn just made history at the 98th Academy Awards — winning his 3rd Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and tying the all-time record for male actors alongside Daniel Day-Lewis and Jack Nicholson. But he wasn't in the building.People\n\nPenn, 65, won for his role as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw in Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another — a politically charged film that dominated the night, also taking home Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.ABC News\n\nWhile the Dolby Theatre waited to celebrate him, Penn was on a plane to Europe. According to The New York Times, citing two anonymous sources, Penn intended to visit Ukraine rather than attend the ceremony.NYT\n\nKieran Culkin, who won the same category last year for A Real Pain, accepted on Penn's behalf and delivered what became the line of the night: \"Sean Penn couldn't be here this evening — or didn't want to — so I'll be accepting the award on his behalf.\"People\n\nThis isn't new behavior for Penn. He's been nominated 6 times and has skipped 4 of those ceremonies. He also won at the BAFTAs and SAG Awards this year — and didn't show up to either.TV Insider\n\nPenn has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion. He's visited the country at least four times, directed a documentary called Superpower about President Zelenskyy, and in 2022 physically handed one of his Oscar statuettes to Zelenskyy, telling him: \"Melt it down into bullets you can shoot at the Russians.\" Russia has sanctioned Penn for his advocacy.People\n\nThe debate now splitting the internet: Is skipping the biggest night in your industry for a war zone the ultimate act of leadership and accountability? Or is it disrespectful to the peers, crew, and community who helped you get there? For men 30-55, this is a conversation about priorities — when you've already reached the top, what do you do with the time everyone expects you to spend celebrating?